


Come In From The Cold

by catlikeacat



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:21:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23309065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catlikeacat/pseuds/catlikeacat
Summary: The bitter, freezing wind of this drop wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to Bloodhound. They’d seen it in a smaller capacity in the last arena. That frigid blast you always were hit with when the dropship soared over the epicenter that pierced you through and through.This was different though. Not a sharp jab as you pass overhead but like being fully submerged in a frozen lake.Cold metal of the mask pressed against their face, they felt a bit like they were drowning.They weren’t the only person who was looking around. Her sharp eyes meeting theirs as she also swept their little crowd to try and access the situation.Lifeline. Ajay Che.
Relationships: Bloodhound/Lifeline | Ajay Che
Comments: 31
Kudos: 98





	1. An Ice Cold Drop

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to write a stranded-in-the-woods somewhere story and every time I drop in Epicenter my brain yells for me to just Dew It. And I've been dying to rwrite more Bloodhound/Lifeline. So it's time!
> 
> My intro chapter is always really short, rest will be a bit heftier.

The bitter, freezing wind of this drop wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to Bloodhound. They’d seen it in a smaller capacity in the last arena. That frigid blast you always were hit with when the dropship soared over the epicenter that pierced you through and through.

This was different though. Not a sharp jab as you pass overhead but like being fully submerged in a frozen lake.

Cold metal of the mask pressed against their face, they felt a bit like they were drowning.

Changing arenas wasn’t too uncommon for the Apex games. Didn’t like the show to get a little too repetitive, always fun to have a new area to explore. Unfamiliar challenges to overcome. New factors tossed into the mix.

Bloodhound had read the papers put out to the group at large about this place, the games hoping to include a little more difficulty than usual. Weirder terrain, the fun of the Epicenter with tundra obstacles turned up to eleven.

The place they’d picked out though…

What had drawn the Institute to it was the promise of a desolate tundra, teeming with dangerous wildlife. Unstable mountains and frequent blizzards. Entire thing punctuated in the middle by a towering and unscalable mountain. Ominous and dramatic.

Everyone was packed tightly into winter gear. An unusual look for many of them but the games had gone to the trouble of making sure everyone was still easily and immediately recognizable. Personalized parkas and other branded gear identifying them.

Only Bloodhound had supplied their own. The Syndicate hadn’t fought them at all, probably grateful that they weren’t going to have to pay for some heavy fur-lined coat to complement their normal look.

They’d caught a couple Legends eyeing it jealously on the plane.

Knowing that their mysterious compatriot was easily going to be twice as warm as them.

Wondering if it would give them an edge.

Looking back and forth between their teammates they tried to do a little preliminary assessment of their potential success as well.

Man, did they wish they could pick their own teams. It was always a silent gripe of theirs but they felt is a bit stronger than usual with the unknown tundra in front of them.

On their left, Crypto. They would pick him voluntarily any time, a fellow tracker of sorts. Smart and capable. More standoffish than they’d prefer but not too hostile unless you gave him a reason to. Usually by prying. Bloodhound themself wasn’t someone who liked being poked and prodded at by people trying to know too much about them so they were particularly sympathetic about that.

On the right, Mirage. “Elliot”, as he always insisted people calling him. The opposite, he wanted everyone to know everything about him and wanted to know everything about anyone. Bloodhound didn’t hate him but he wasn’t… well, he wouldn’t be their first pick. Not the last either though, so they supposed they should be grateful for that.

Both of them were looking below uncertainly though, Mirage making some comment or possibly joke that Bloodhound couldn’t hear over the rushing wind.

Things were… off. Epicenter had been a plenty popular place to drop but the snow and ice below seemed so much more perilous than usual. There was always a bit of nerves surrounding a new stadium but nothing like this somber silence.

No hooting, no hollering. None of the usual playful taunting of each other.

Just cold and silence.

Bloodhound wished for a squawk or a caw from Artur but he’d long since swooped down. Already surveying the area for them. They’d meet him below as they always did but right now they’d much rather have the bird perched on their arm.

They weren’t the only person who was looking around. Her sharp eyes meeting theirs as she also swept their little crowd to try and access the situation.

Lifeline. Ajay Che. Now they’d trade Mirage for her on their team any day. A genius prodigy, accomplished doctor, and compassionate to boot. Not that she wouldn’t slap you upside the head in a heartbeat should you go off and get yourself hurt. Bloodhound’s never had much patience for wishy-washy people so that quality was well appreciated.

But right now she looked… unsure. Just like them. Their eyes locked as they looked past their teams. Her sandwiched between two normally rambunctious teammates, Octane and Gibraltar, who were being abnormally somber as well.

Deep down, they both knew that this new stadium was a bad idea. That something was going to go wrong. That they should turn the plane around and leave.

But neither of them were in charge.

No choice but to listen to the man beginning to count above. Teammates coming to life around them as they started suggesting places to land, most everyone being cautious and aiming for the edges. A few looking to attempt a hot drop despite their nerves.

People started taking off, steadily and spaced out.

For a second, Bloodhound wondered if this weird half eye contact with Lifeline was an agreement not to jump. To climb back up into the ship, leave the idiots to get buried in the frozen wasteland below.

Avoid what they were about to be thrown headfirst into.

But eventually the woman broke it off, diving off after the rest of her team. Bright red parka starks against the pure white snow even as she plummeted away from them. Drawing their eyes behind the cold, emotionless mask.

Bloodhound was the last to jump.

They’d worry about what Crypto and Mirage would say later, chasing their trail down to their approximate location.

At least, they thought they would.

But halfway down they heard the sound of a mighty “WHUMP” that echoed throughout the wide valley.


	2. Buried Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first ever chapter that I've actually had beta read by [Debilitas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/debilitas/pseuds/debilitas)! Trying to work on actively getting better at writing, hope you enjoy it!

Dark, cold, suffocating. Time had no meaning to Ajay anymore. Had she been under here for seconds? Minutes? Was she already dead? Was anyone coming? Did all her life really lead up to this? Dying alone, buried under the snow?

Her arm the only thing extended upwards, reaching for something unknown she’d never be able to grab.

She tried to recount her last moments of clarity. Eyes closing in the darkness, avoiding the sharp, throbbing pain in her right ankle.

Octavio and Makoa. That was her team. Should be an ideal set of people looking for her; one her lifelong best friend who can, has, and will run across lava for her and a well trained and experienced search-and-rescue volunteer.

But they were… gone. Not dead. She’d seen them trail away, though. Makoa had yelled something to her but she couldn’t hear it over the rushing wind whipping around her ears.

Whatever he said had gotten Octavio to follow after him though.

Lifeline wasn’t sure why she kept plummeting straight down.

Well, she was, but saying it was her synapses misfiring was much easier than admitting to herself that she was going to die alone. All because she’d seen the raven circling down and decided to follow that instead of her team.

Artur. She’d chose a bird over a couple of trained mercenaries.

And now she was going to die.

Trembling, either from the cold or the stress, she tried to turn off her racing mind. Not wanting to make peace with dying, not like this.

Not like…

A sharp, stabbing feeling in one of her fingers tore her out of her thoughts.

Stomping overhead, someone was there, someone was coming.

With the last of her energy, Ajay screamed.

What came next was only revealed to her in disjointed snippets as she rapidly faded in and out of consciousness. The sound of digging. Being grabbed. Strong hands roughly pulling her out. Light, cold and unforgiving. Someone looming over her. Slamming into her chest. Foreign lips on her own. She wasn’t normally on this side of CPR. Turns out it sucks. 

Dark again, this time warm. Face pressed against a furry parka. Being carried, somewhere. Talking to her. At her? To themself? It wasn’t English.

But she wasn’t alone.

And, more importantly, she wasn’t dying.

\- - -

By the time Bloodhound reached the cabin in the distance, Ajay had clocked out entirely.

Artur crowing overhead made them briefly understand how the dark bird could be seen as an omen of death.

A million doubts racked their mind as they roughly trudged up the slight incline, made much more difficult by the limp body in their arms. Had they done it wrong? Never had they received any sort of formal training for that, nothing beyond the short and lazy presentation that the Institute had put all the Legends through.

Lazy and slapdash, just like their choice in a new arena.

They’d gotten a message from the Institute on their communication device, mercifully unbroken by the tumble they’d taken. Just barely missing the snowfall. The games called off, like that wasn’t obvious. An order to find and help any Legends they come across. That they were coming with search and rescue teams.

Just survive.

That was what Bloodhound did best, though.

But their normal confidence in their skills was shaken, carrying Lifeline- no, Ajay- to the secluded cabin…

There were others. Elliott and Crypto had veered away from them in an effort to avoid the avalanche. Only they had managed to stay the course and landed directly below. For all Bloodhound knew, their teammates could be buried, too.

But they couldn’t go looking for them.

Now they were in charge of making sure Ajay didn’t die.

“Artur!” they called up to the bird circling above, “Look for others!”

At that, the raven took off. Always so clever, knowing exactly what they needed of him. It still didn’t feel like enough, but it was all they had.

Mercifully, the door was cracked open, easy for them to kick open and enter the abandoned wooden cabin. Once well lived in, but now dusty and dark from neglect. Their goggles adjusted to the dim light, giving them a better glimpse of the room.

But there were only two things they cared about right now.

The bed and the fireplace.

It was so much easier to walk on the firm, steady floorboards. Sliding Ajay out of their arms and giving her a deeply uninformed once over. She was breathing but pale, far too pale. Despite this, her peaceful expression was even more alarming to them.

They didn’t even realize they'd instinctively shrugged off their thick, fur-lined parka until they were pulling off Ajay’s as well. They knew they had to get her out of any wet clothing. Only her coat, the pants over her leggings, gloves, and her hat were afflicted. The layer underneath was still dry. Maybe it was just their imagination, but they could have sworn Ajay looked less cold as they maneuvered her arms into the sleeves of their own coat.

Next, the fireplace. Ancient wood lay stacked next to it, long forgotten. it was more than dry enough for a fire. They piled the logs up before retrieving their flint and steel.

Artur, the human one, had always insisted they always carry it on them. A good instinct drilled into them.

It only took a few strikes before the sparks took root and the fire crackled to life.

Returning to Ajay, Bloodhound felt like they were doing a poor imitation of her own job. Checking her vitals, or what they understood to be her vitals, at least. Her breathing was steady and they could swear her heartbeat was speeding back up.

They picked her up again. Wrapped the heavy quilt around her, and delicately carried her to the fire. Hesitated for a moment, before deciding to sit cross legged on the ground in front of the fire with her on their lap. Leaning against the slightly coarse fabric of their jacket, face half in the fur collar.

Admittedly, there were better ways to warm someone up with your body heat, but Bloodhound didn’t exactly like the idea of stripping down around a borderline stranger. Nor did they terribly feel comfortable doing that to someone else. Even more so, really.

Holding onto her exposed hand, they looked down at her.

Honestly, they were never the sort to scrutinize others. This moment made them feel a bit like a trapped animal. Staring down at her unconscious face, a frozen sleeping beauty.

The two of them had never been close, but then again, no one was. Not anymore.

Would this change things? Bloodhound had saved many people on the battlefield but this felt… different.

Fire roaring in front of them, they sat in silence. Holding her hand. Staring. Waiting.

\- - -

For a fearful second, Ajay assumed she was back under the snow. Her blocked vision seemed like a bad sign until she realized she was, in fact, quite a bit warmed up. Feeling had returned to her body, and was now resting on something…

Lifting her head away from the coarse fabric, she looked up.

She wasn’t entirely sure what she was expecting, but finding herself bundled up tightly in the arms of Bloodhound was not it.

“You are awake,” they said, with that tone of theirs which always sounded revenant, as if this wasn’t the oddest thing Ajay had ever experienced, “Praise be to the Allfather…”

“Where…” Ajay glanced down at her hand in theirs, trying to look around the small room over the quilt cocooning her, “Where are we? Did you… Did you see Octavio? Makoa? Your team?”

Who had they been with…? Elliott and Crypto…

Frankly, neither of them were built for this kind of scenario.

Ajay felt panic start to overtake her. This was her job, wasn’t it? With the stupid games suspended, it was now a matter of search and rescue. With considerable difficulty, she tried to squirm to freedom, just barely getting her arms out before she awkwardly tried to get to her feet. Half stumbling with one leg still wrapped, the other hitting the ground with a sharp spike of-

“Son of a!!” Ajay yelped, caught mid fall by a now crouching Bloodhound, “M’damn leg. Shit, when I fell… How do we jump out the plane dozens, hundreds, of times and this is the one time where I hurt my damn self?!”

It was a hypothetical question, but Bloodhound answered it as they managed to get to their feet. “The ground here is too unstable, never would have been suitable for a stadium. Fjandinn idiots…”

Again she was placed on the bed, carefully unravelling herself from the quilt and pulling up the leg of her leggings with a sharp hiss to examine the damage. Bruised, very bruised. But nothing was sticking out and nothing seemed out of place.

Bad, but not the worst it could be.

“Look for anything with a wooden handle or something similar,” Ajay instructed them, “Anything that would work as a splint. My cargo pants should have plenty of bandages in them, we have to set it the best we can.”

They took off, rooting around the cabin like a curious animal. She watched them opening a few cabinets in the kitchen area before pulling open the large one at the end. Pulling out a child-sized broom. Perfect.

Taking it out and sitting on the edge of the bed, Bloodhound pulled out their knife and began cutting it in half diligently.

Facing away from her as they worked, Ajay was given a moment to really take in the situation.

Both their teams were missing, they were on a new planet with unknown dangers, she was in some godforsaken cabin in the middle of nowhere.

With Bloodhound.

She wasn’t scared of Bloodhound, per se, but it would be a lie to say they didn’t intimidate her.

Never hostile, but always watching, staring. Never said a word about nothing to nobody. Never let anyone in. Only friend was a bird. Always fiddling around with a knife. Speaking vaguely about long dead gods.

Unknowable, and liked it that way.

Ajay felt bad being suspicious of someone who was currently helping her and had just rescued her, but… 

The thing about people who don’t want to be known, is they generally have a reason to be that way. Sometimes good, often bad. And it was always the ones who were non-hostile about it that always seemed to be the ones with the worst intentions.

She shook her head against the pillow and told herself she was being paranoid. Just always surrounded herself with open books who yell their intentions at her at the top of their lungs.

Just talk to them. Maybe their solitude isn’t even on purpose, maybe they’re just kinda weird.

It suddenly hit her that she hadn’t even thanked them for saving her yet.

“Thank you, by the way. One helluva miracle rescue you pulled off,” Ajay spoke over the steady noise of their knife carving into the wood, “How’d you even find me?”

“Artur,” Bloodhound pointed towards the window, “He’s still out there, looking for others.”

At least someone was and if he’d found her, he could find others.

Felt weird leaving it all up to a bird, though.

“Then I gotta thank him too, when he comes back,” Ajay settled in, “I hope he finds our teammates… Not to mention everyone else is still out there. All the Legends must be scattered right now…”

“Thankfully, many likely landed outside of the avalanche area,” Bloodhound snapped the broom handle in half with ease, a clean break. “I was the last to drop, I saw everyone’s smoke trails leading down. Many went to the outskirts. Surely they are encountering their own difficulties but unfortunately, only our groups that landed right here.”

“At least Octavio is with Makoa… I have to admit I’m a bit more concerned about your teammates.”

“As am I,” Bloodhound looked towards the window for signs of the missing raven, “Crypto is smart, but not someone well suited to the outdoors. and Mirage is…”

They trailed off, Ajay picked it back up, “A bit of a eediat.”

It was weird to hear Bloodhound laugh, nodding as they worked on removing the broom head, “Understatement. Hopefully between the two of them they can shamble out of the disaster zone. Now, how do I do this?”

Much faster, they snapped off the bristley end and tossed it to the side before rooting in Ajay's pants pockets,pulling out a couple of the bandage rolls within. It was awkward being on the receiving end of this, but Bloodhound was careful as they followed her instructions.

All in all, it was a solid splint. Not the best ever, but enough to keep her safe until they…

“What about us?” Ajay asked, leaning deeply into the pillow, “Are we just… waiting this out?”

“Yes, the Institute will be sending help. They’re not going to leave such high value assets to rot on this frozen hell,” Bloodhound checked over their handiwork one last time before standing.

“Do you think it will be long? We’re deep in the valley, should we try to make some sort of signal?”

“Neitun,” they shook their head. “My communicator is intact, although it has no service. I am certain they have trackers in them.”

A waiting game, then. Ajay had little faith in the Institute on a good day and given this whole debacle…

It felt like a march to the grave. What reason did they really and truly have to risk these conditions? Not like there weren’t a thousand other people, chomping at the bit to become a Legend in the Apex Games.

Hugging herself tightly, Ajay tried not to run down the list of the symptoms of starvation.

A firm hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts.

Looking up to where Bloodhound’s eyes should be, she found them resolute. Attempting to be comforting in the only way they knew how.

By being vaguely intimidating.

“Do not worry,” they insisted, axe in hand, leaning in closer until those empty lenses were staring into her soul, “I will slátra for you. Whatever beasts lurk this planet will fall to my blade.”

At a loss for words, Ajay stumbled out a weak answer in return, “Thank you.”

“You are welcome,” they pinched the sleeve of the parka wrapped around her. “I will need this back before I head out, though.”

Looking down, she felt a rush of stupidity wash over her as she realized she’d not quite placed why she was so toasty warm. Shrugging out of the parka and pulling it out from under her, she immediately regretted it. Plunged under the quilt and wrapped it tighter around her.

Jealousy involuntarily tapped at the back of her mind as she watched them pull it on and fasten it up, promising, “I will come back soon with food. If you wish, try to take a nap. I know I certainly will after we éta.”

“What, we aren’t going to cuddle by the fire again?” Ajay cracked a crooked grin.

They stopped sharply, halfway to the door. Turning back just far enough that they could see her over their shoulder. Staring for a long, empty few seconds. Body language not betraying what manner in which they meant as they responded, “Perhaps, if you would like.”

Either way, they faced the door again and walked quickly to it. A gush of cold wind rushing past them and into the cabin, sending Ajay even further under the covers.

As the door slammed shut behind them, Ajay felt her face grow hot despite the cold biting at her from the edges of the quilt wrapped around her.

Gettin’ all caught up in the moment, flirting with her own little knight in shining armor.

What exactly was she even hoping to accomplish from acting like that?


	3. Unknown Horizons

Stomping through the snow, Bloodhound raised a hand to shield their eyes from the lowering sun.

They hadn’t been able to get a good look around the way up but there wasn’t much to be seen. Just a forest, thick enough that they couldn’t see straight through to the other side.

Looking up at a tree towering above, they hesitated for a second before beginning to climb. Trying not to think about what would happen to Ajay in the unlikely chance that they should fall to their death.

But they’d been climbing trees all their life. They were at the top in no time, hanging on tightly as they surveyed the area.

Like every arena they’d fought in, many small buildings dotted the land. Not as many as World’s End or even King’s Canyon but they were there. Gods know if anyone is in them but Bloodhound had a feeling everyone else was out there, alive.

Though they admittedly prefered to be a lone hunter, they were also one who valued the safety of numbers. Given the circumstances, they were quite thankful that everyone has two potential people looking out for them.

They would feel better with some confirmation though.

One wasn’t too far away, they’d have to make a day of it but they could reach it easy. Looking like there was some bigger game that way too, another plus. Give Ajay a couple days to make sure she’s stable first. She was the doctor, not them, but admittedly they had some anxiety leaving her alone.

The clarity of being so high up dragged them back to what they were ignoring.

She’d definitely hit on them.

And arguably what they’d said back was a bit flirty.

They hadn’t thought about it in the moment, always been someone who answers directly and immediately. No stock answer previously existing in their mind for something like that. It wasn’t like people lined up to try and cozy up to a self-admitted masked weirdo with a knife. Especially not pretty, popular people.

Hell, the two of them had barely interacted until today.

Had she thought about them like this before or were they merely a passing amusement?

They’d caught her staring at them in the past but there wasn’t a single person in the games who Bloodhound hadn’t found observing them. They were an oddity. When they walk into a room, they’re unlike anything anyone else has ever seen.

And they always gave that right back. Always silently observing the other legends, prying eyes hidden by opaque lenses on their mask.

An outside observer. Always watching, never participating.

As such, they’d watched Ajay before in their cold, detached way. She was a vibrant person, always seemed to have someone hovering around her to try and absorb some of the sunlight she emitted. Bright and harsh, she was someone who was fun but wouldn’t take an ounce of someone’s bullshit.

Not someone who would exactly be lining up to chase after them.

Shaking their head, they tossed those thoughts aside. Most likely the woman was a bit shaken by what was going on and everyone has different coping methods for scary situations. Perhaps compulsive flirting was simply hers.

A swoop of black to their right made them look over and truly made them abandon those thoughts.

“Have you found anything?” they asked the bird perching on the branch, twisting his feathered head at them as he listened.

Bloodhound knew Artur couldn’t understand them, not really. But they liked to pretend.

But they knew well enough that Artur hadn’t seen anything, the bird was smart enough to communicate that much at least.

Climbing back down, the raven hopped after them before landing on their shoulder. Typically Artur stayed inside with them, would Ajay mind? She didn’t seem like the pet sort but they’d seen pictures of her holding a little rabbit purportedly belonging to Octane but that was about it.

Speak of the fluffy devil, hopefully she wouldn’t mind their dinner being… a bit reminiscent of her friend’s old pet.

They weren’t quite rabbits but similar, a couple of them just nibbling at the exposed greens and currently unaware of the predator stalking after them.

Readying their knife they crept closer.

\- - -

By the time Bloodhound had made their way back to the cabin the sun had sunken below the horizon. Not given a moment to take some guilt at leaving her defenseless, they could see she’d already managed to find some sort of light source. Flickering in the window, a beacon in the dark.

Candles, probably. They always did prefer that to the blinding fluorescent lights everyone else was used to.

If they were honest, this situation would be ideal for them if not for having Ajay here. Nothing against her, of course, but without someone to take care of this would have been a lovely holiday from society.

Maybe when this was all over they would take a season off. Maybe go back offplanet for a while, find some nice secluded getaway, hunt some weirder game…

Gripping the door handle firmly, Bloodhound walked back into the old fashioned cabin.  
And immediately felt their stomach drop.

The cabin was empty.

Dropping the burlap sack bearing their hunt, they circled around the bed Ajay should be on. Empty, blankets left in disarray but not as if she’d gotten up in any hurry. They hadn’t seen any other tracks coming from the only door how could she-

A loud banging by their feet made them jump.

Ajay’s voice muffled from below, “Can y’give me a hand up there?”

Crouching, Bloodhound could see the edge of a trapdoor under the thickly woven rug. Their heartbeat only slowing when they flipped over the edge to reveal the heavy wooden door. Hefty rung on one side. Pulling it up was no easy feat, grunting with effort as it slammed onto the ground again. Open and revealing Ajay sitting on the wooden stairs going down and looking just slightly embarassed.

“Sorry,” she said, sheepish smile illuminated in the dim candlelight, “I, uh, saw the door and wanted to see what was down there. But after I scooted on down… couldn’t get that door back open from below. Good news, though! There’s some food stored down here, spices even. Not a whole lot but enough that I can at least make you somethin’ a bit tastier.”

“You scared me,” Bloodhound lightly chastised, gripping Ajay under the arms and hoisting her back up with a small bag clutched in her arms, “I’ve never taken you for a risk taker, what would you say to one of your patients if they were walking around on a bad leg?”

“I didn’t walk, I scooted,” she retorted, leaning her head onto their shoulder with a smug look on her face, “And I’ve said, verbatim, ‘If you don’t stop walkin’ on those stumps before they heal I’ll kick your ass all the way back to your family mansion.’”

“Well, you certainly don’t have stumps but ‘If you don’t stop walking on that broken leg I will kick your rassinn back to your family mansion.’”

“Oh, that’s not fair. I’m on much worse terms with my parents than Octavio. Somehow.”

“How is your leg feeling?” Bloodhound abruptly changed the subject, hoping to avoid any questions about their own parentage.

“Won’t pretend it don’t hurt like a mother,” she looked down at the crude trappings, adjusting to ease some pressure, “But it’ll hold until they pick us back up. Y’did a good job, for presumably havin’ no medical experience.”

“I don’t unfortunately, never spent much time with the healers,” they picked up their bloody bag and held it up for her to see, oblivious to the light look of disgust as she tried not to picture its contents, “But luckily I have spent many an hour with the hunters. I surveyed the area as well. Before you get your hopes up, I saw no one else. But I did see another building somewhat nearby with some larger game. If we’re not picked up in a couple days…”

“You’ll leave my bored ass layin’ on the bed for hours while you hoof it out there, I get it,” Ajay pulled open her own bag, pulling out a bulky object, “But look what I found. They’re absolutely ancient but they’ll do the job since we can’t really use our communicators.”

A walkie-talkie, rusted and worn but somehow still functional.

“Oh, good,” they noted, “In case something bad happens.”

“No, I was…” Ajay tapped on her own hesitantly, “I mean, we can just talk on them? While you’re out.”

“The noise would scare away the animals, we can’t do that.”

“Oh… that’s… obvious, right,” Ajay turned it over in her hands before setting it on the table next to her, leaning back with a sigh, “But yeah I’ll… tell if you if anything goes wrong back here. When you're out.”

Right, this was why they didn’t have many friends.

They weren’t obtuse though, feeling a pang of guilt at their unintended brutal shutdown of her attempt at reaching out. Trying to pave over it neatly without promising any more information from themselves than they’d be comfortable giving.

“Perhaps it would be alright, just when I’m walking towards my destination,” they tucked it into their bag side pocket, “But I will require radio silence should I come across my quarry. Are you hungry now or should I store what I’ve caught for tomorrow morning?”

It worked, Ajay shooting them another one of those award winning smiles, “You can store it for tomorrow, I’m still a little shaken up from being buried. Look at me, gettin’ special treatment from someone like you. Don’t imagine you do that for many people.”

She knew they didn’t have many friends too.

“No, not really,” they looked up as they heard a tapping on the window, Ajay looking over at the bird curiously observing her through the window, “The one I make the most accomodations for isn’t even a person, technically. Speaking of… would you perhaps mind if Artur came inside?”

“Huh, always assumed your bird would want to be outside as much as possible,” Ajay tilted her head, grinning as the bird imitated it, “But not at all, so long as you let me try an’ hold him.”

People always asked that but the bird never would. They didn’t offer up that information as they opened the door to another harsh gust of cold, ushering the bird inside on their wrist. Stopping only to deposit the bag of caught prey in the icebox before approaching her bed.

Her golden eyes were twinkling in the candle light, scooting over and patting the sheers next to her. Sliding in next to her, barely able to feel her side against their thigh for the layers. Bloodhound tried to think of the last time they’d been this close to someone they weren’t hauling around due to injuries. They couldn’t.

They watched the dance they knew well behind. Ajay cautiously trying to get the bird’s attention, Artur scrutinizing her carefully, her reaching out her arm to try and get the bird to step up, Artur pulling away. Bloodhound hoped they wouldn’t nip this time, although he mostly did that to more jittery pe-

To their stunned amazement, instead they watched incredulously as Artur complied. Long black talons wrapping around Ajay’s wrist tightly as she brought them closer to her to imitate the way she’d seen Bloodhound scratch at the bird a hundred times.

“Well, if you aren’t the prettiest damn thing I ever did seen,” Ajay cooed as Artur contorted into the touch, “Never thought I’d see a raven this close. Or in general, really. Not a hell of a lot of non-domesticated animals where I’m from.”

“I am surprised he’s allowing you to hold him,” they gently stroked down the bird’s back, “Normally he doesn’t allow anyone but me to hold him…”

“You sound jealous,” Ajay teased, “Don’t worry, I can hold you later too.”

Behind their mask, scarred skin went bright red. Mercifully unwitnessed as Ajay cackled to herself about her joke and leaving Bloodhound completely unsure of how much of it was a joke.

“So,” she said, “Why’d you name your bird Artur?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“I’m… curious?”

They didn’t want to answer that, never one to offer up information about themselves but Ajay was looking at them so expectantly and curiously. And they knew that this was a ‘normal’ question for ‘normal’ people.

Not about to draw such a weird line in the sand, they replied, “Artur is named after my Uncle, he raised me.”

“Aw, that’s cute,” they failed to pull away in time as she pinched the mask over their cheek, “Bet he loves the name.”

“I wouldn’t know, my uncle Artur passed away before I came into possession of Artur the raven.”

The way they froze up went unnoticed under all their layers of clothing, mortified at having offered up any extra information without prompting. Trying to arrange their scattered thoughts while Ajay looked up at them with a warm, sympathetic look of sadness.

That was something they never knew what to make of, someone trying to connect with them personally through the mask. Always even more confusing when it came with a sheen of genuineness.

“I’m sorry…” Ajay pulled the bird closer to her, leaving them even more addled as the bird cooed and let himself relax against her a bit as she slowly ran her hand down his feathers, “And considering he raised you… you don’t have…”

“My parents are dead, yes,” their mind screamed as they offered up information again, “It was just me and Artur.”

“How old were you when he…”

“About thirteen.”

“It’s been a while then, you must think of him every time you see your bird,” Ajay handed Artur back as her arm began shaking under the weight of the hefty bird. Bloodhound more relieved than they’re admit to have the creature happily climbing up their arm to perch on their shoulder.

“Yes, but it makes me feel like I’m not alone,” Bloodhound gently deterred the bird poking at the strands dangling off their mask.

Now free of any excuse to continue sitting with their legs touching, they made a bid for freedom. Unfortunately stopped by a hand on their bicep. Ajay pulling them back.

“You know, you don’t have to be alone all the time. I don’t have any biological family that I don’t hate but I’ve made my own. Had Octavio’s stupid lil’ ass following me around since forever and the other legends… we’re all people who’ve experienced loss. We’re our own family. Even if you’re secretive and kind of weird, you know everyone cares about you, right?”

Considering their first thought was ‘why?’... no, they didn’t.

Not wanting to voice that, finally stemming the tide of unnecessary information, they grew quiet. Kept in place only by the surprisingly strong grip on their arm.

“We don’t know each other well but maybe, silver linin’, this all can be a turning point,” Ajay continued, “We don’t know how long we’ll be out here so you can practice bein’ a lil’ more sociable on me, yeah?”

“I suppose,” Bloodhound replied, breaking free from the grip to let Artur down on a worn chair.

“Besides…” she hesitated, “We’re going to end up a bit close either way, considering.”

“Considering what?”

“Don’t know if you’ve noticed this but we’ve got one room and one bed. Not like you can sleep in your armor and mask. Don’t worry yourself about it, part of bein’ a doctor’s the whole confidentiality agreement. I won’t tell anyone anything.”

This time the way they froze up was impossible to miss. Stuck half hunched over by the chair, Artur settling in and staring up at them just as expectantly.

Creaking back up, they didn’t face her as they spoke, “That won’t be necessary. I can sleep on the couch, it’s far from the worst place I’ve laid my head.”

“What about your mask though, ya can’t sleep in-”

“It will be fine.”

Bloodhound knew their answer was too sharp, dripping with a coldness that Ajay didn’t deserve. An icicle dropped on her unsuspecting head.

They knew this was worse than their shut down of the walkie talkies but this one they weren’t able to stop from snowballing. Still avoiding eye contact as they went to the couch and sat with their back to her. Not even laying down as they attempted to get a bit more comfortable.

Nobody had seen them maskless in ten years and they weren’t exactly keen on changing that anytime soon.

But they were still human under there and felt a harsh tug at their heart strings at the absolutely defeated tone of Ajay’s voice, “Well… good night…”

They knew their own voice was still too cold but they didn’t know how to change it, “Góða nótt.”


	4. Radio Silence

They should not have left her like that.

Bloodhound knew that as they began trekking across the frozen tundra, Artur circling above to keep an eye out for either life or trouble. Or both.

Keeping themselves on target by the sun rising ahead of them, they were already headed towards the cabin they’d seen before. A goal. Something that they could strive towards to get them out of here faster.

Guilt bit at their insides as they remembered creaking awake. Eyes sore and back even worse. Stretching with a suppressed groan as to not wake their cabin mate.

Ajay's sleeping face was troubled and they knew exactly why.

They also knew waking up alone would only increase that feeling.

Sun not even up yet, they knew it would be a while before she woke up. Taking just a few minutes to cut apart the previously caught rodents while Artur watched and waited hungrily for snacks. Crudely cooking theirs in a small fire outside, knowing it was nearly raw when they tore into it but afraid to take much more time before leaving.

They left the meat for her on the cold kitchen counter. It was far enough from the fire that they imagined it’d be fine for a little bit.

Carefully, they slowly swung open the creaky door of the storage closet and snatched up something they’d seen earlier. Quickly scribbling a note on yellowed paper and leaving it next to her.

‘Attempting to reach cabin. Will be back soon.’

And that they were, guessing by now that they were about a third or maybe even halfway to it.

The only thing keeping them from truly burning to ashes from guilt was the walkie-talkie weighing down a side pocket. Old and heavy, but meaning that Ajay wasn’t left entirely alone.

They cringed at the thought of her calling though. Angry, most likely.

It seemed like most people’s reactions to them were anger. Ajay was far from the first person they’d disappointed by being weird and standoffish but somehow this one stung a bit more. Maybe just sheerly the fact that normally when they ditched someone that person was safe and warm in the arms of society and not, you know, bedridden in a frozen wasteland.

Well, she’d be warm at least. They’d made sure to stoke the fire a bit before taking off. Ensuring that it would burn long enough for Ajay to rise, even if she did long after the sun rose high in the sky.

They imagined she was probably up, right about now.

As if on cue, the walkie-talkie crackled to life.

And they were right about her being angry.

“If I wasn’t bed bound I’d be chasin’ you down to kick you around like a damn football,” Ajay threatened, rage seeping through the speaker.

“I apologize,” Bloodhound started, “I just-”

“Am an insensitive asshole?”

They thought carefully for a second before answering, echoing the thoughts they’d had along the way, “Yes. I am… I am sorry. There is a reason why I keep to myself and this is it. I am sure you would have rather someone else had fallen with you. Unfortunately it was me.”

For a while she was quiet for so long that Bloodhound thought she’d hung up.

“It’s… no,” her voice was too quiet, almost leaving them unable to hear her over the sound of their boots clomping through the snow, “No, if I had t’rank everyone by ‘person I’d trust with my survival’ you’d be near the top.”

“But I am not someone whose companionship is desirable,” they stopped, peering down the hill towards their goal in the near distance. Soon.

“You say that,” Ajay’s accusation was tinny but sharp, “But you’re the one who shoves people away the second anyone tries.”

They knew she was right but didn’t want to say it.

“I’m almost at the other building,” Bloodhound changed subjects, Ajay’s muffled sigh over the radio causing the guilt to gnaw again, “It looks abandoned but… there’s a lot of antennae sticking out of it.”

“Maybe it’s a communication tower?”

“It looks pretty run down.”

Over the radio, Ajay heard weird sounds that she could only assume were Bloodhound’s descent down the hill.

Leaning back into her soft bed she didn’t envy their task of marching through the frigid forest but she felt rather left out in the cold anyways. Soft pillows were little comfort to the pervasive feeling of loneliness she was feeling.

It had only been a couple days but having nothing to do made it feel like weeks, only the throbbing pain of her legs keeping her company most times.

Ajay never thought she’d find herself missing the seemingly endless stream of stupid liveblog texts of whatever Octavio was doing at any given moment but right now she’d kill for a blurry picture of a squirrel labelled “I’M GONNA CATCH IT.” Shortly followed by a picture of a bitten and scratched up hand and a “:(“.

Octavio. She didn’t even know if he was alive, technically. She knew she should be more worried about him but it would take a hell of a lot more than an avalanche to take out that firecracker.

Also he was with Makoa whose literal job it is to save idiots.

Ajay should be with them. Could have had her knee set by someone with real emergency medical skills and spent the rest of the time being amused by her best friend’s antics. All she needed to do was stick with her squad but she couldn’t even do that.

The reality that she’d cracked under pressure and thought she knew better than others…

Well, she was used to her own thoughts of superiority sometimes biting her in the ass but normally she performed excessively well under pressure.

At the end of the day she was human though, wasn’t she?

It was her and Bloodhound. Mysterious, standoffish, and frankly? A little rude, almost bordering on mean. Saved from that only by the fact she was certain there was no intentional malice in their social failings.

She wanted to twist the knife about pushing people away but there was no reason to harm them like that.

Their voice was distorted through the device in her hands, “It IS a communications building, badly repurposed for the games. Things are damaged though, one half of the building got hit by the snow.”

“Is there anything you can save?”

The sound of a gloved hand smacking the top of a metal device came over the walkie, “It’s a bit messed up but… maybe we can fix it together. There’s a small toolkit in the cabin, in the storage closet.”

Together. The first time she could think of where Bloodhound referred to them like a team.

“I’ll be back soon,” was the last thing they gave her though, before radio silence overtook the two of them.

\- - -

The sound of something heavy dragging across the snow woke Ajay up from her half-awake state.

Peering through the curtain with groggy eyes she could see them entering the clearing around their cabin. Pulling behind them an incredibly makeshift sled with a covered rectangular looking thing and a couple of carcasses of deer-like creatures. Artur riding on top with curious pecks at the fleshier cargo.

Awkwardly getting up, she managed to hobble to the door without putting any pressure on her leg. A chair making horrible noises as she brought it with her. Flinching against the frigid winter that rushed against her and pulling the parka tighter against her body.

Bloodhound watched her with confusion as she propped the door open with the chair and sat on it, playfully teasing, “What, I don’t get a ‘honey, I’m home?’”

“What are you doing?”

Right to the point, as always.

“Keeping you company,” Ajay pulled over the small side table that stood next to the door, “You’ve got work to do and so do I. Never minded a little company when I do my thing and I’m going to force a bit of sociability on ya. Just a little.”

Even with the mask on it was obvious they were contemplating snipping back at that but they didn’t. Bringing the sled next to her so she could begin to grab at the pieces.For themself, a large picnic table outside had the snow roughly brushed off by a sweep of their arm before laying out one of the carcasses on it. Bloodhound giving her one warning, “This is going to get pretty disgusting.”

“I am aware,” Ajay picked up the main body of the radio and clunked it onto the table to begin fiddling around with it, “Are YOU aware that I’ve performed surgery? I don’t exactly enjoy the sight of blood an’ guts but I’m not a stranger to it either. So we’re going to get to know each other, whether you like it or not.”

They shot her a look over their shoulder. Pointed, even through opaque lenses.

But it was them who asked the first question, “Why did you become a doctor?”

“My parents aren’t exactly saints. War profiteers, really,” Ajay fiddled with the nuts holding the whole thing together, “I wanted to make the world better, try to fix some of what they did to it. Even joining the games is a part of that ‘cause I donate all my winnings to charities. What do you do with your winnings?”

“Nothing, really,” they admitted, sizing up their knife before plunging it into the deer creature’s chest, “I opened up a small bank account. I just leave it there, I suppose for emergencies.”

“You sure win a helluva lot, must have a lot saved,” Ajay noted, “Ever thought of doing something with it?”

“Not really, I suppose you’re going to suggest some worthy causes now?”

“Maybe,” she laughed, “You may be a bit of a mystery but nobody thinks you’re a monster or heartless. How about a bird rescue sanctuary? Some planets’ avians got it real bad what with all the invasive species gettin’ transported all the damn time.”

“It’s something to consider, I’ve only ever tried to spend any once but… it didn not go over well.”

“What were you trying to do with it?” Ajay asked.

“I wanted to buy some things for my old village,” Bloodhound looked down at the intricately carved knife in their hand, “They… I was kicked out. I thought maybe if the gifts weren’t technology based they’d accept them but… well, let’s just say many of the things in my apartment are built from the supplies intended for them.”

“It’s weird thinking of you having an apartment,” Ajay clicked off the front of the radio, “Think maybe this is all over I can come see it?”

“So you can marvel at the lack of a television?”

“Because I like to think we could be friends?”

They froze up, mid cut.

“I suppose you can come over, sometime. It’s not very exciting though.”

“Good,” Ajay smiled at them, gesturing with the screwdriver, “Then you can come to mind. It’s a little more exciting but in part because Octavio’s got a key and doesn’t believe in people having their own space.”

“You’re very close to Octan- Octavio,” his real name felt foreign in their mouth.

“Oh me and Octavio go real, real far back,” Ajay instinctively reached for her communicator, frowning when she knew she couldn’t waste the dwindling battery on showing them pictures from her youth, “Met when we were children. Some stupid rich person party, Octavio was the only other child there.”

“A friendship of convenience, then.”

“Ah, don’t say it like that. I’d choose him from a room still. He’s an eediat but he’s MY eediat, you know? Sometimes it’s nice to be around your opposite, they challenge you to be more than yourself.”

“And in what ways as Octavio challenged you?”

“My patience,” Ajay chuckled, “But really, he gets me out of the house and talking to people.”

For a long time, Bloodhound was silent other than the disgusting slicing and squelching noises coming from their nasty work. And her, the sound of her rattling around inside the radio. It didn’t seem too busted, just a few pieces out of whack, she just needed to...

“Do you ever worry?” they finally asked.

“About what?”

They paused again, “About… him dying.”

The wind whipped through the silence between them. Unspoken, Ajay considered the implications of Bloodhound going right to that. Before anything else, before requesting any stories of their long friendship, before even wondering what they did when they hung out, if they could join.

“Sometimes, when I’m watchin’ him do something particularly stupid but… you can’t think about that, you know? Is that the first thing you think when you think about having a friend?”

They were quiet again, the sound of Ajay tinkering with the radio at least drowning out the sounds of the deer being dismantled.

“You’ve experienced a lot of loss but… you can’t cut yourself off from people to keep yourself from feeling that again. If you cut off the ability to feel pain, you cut everything else off too an’ maybe it’s a bit sappy to say but isn’t the point of life to be loved?”

The sound of gore filling the dead air between them was not exactly the answer she wanted but Bloodhound stayed, twisted half away from her and working on the carcass.

After what felt like eons, they replied, “Maybe.”

If they had anything else to say, it was cut short by a squeal of feedback at her feet.

His voice was abnormally monotone, as if he was reading off a script. Which he probably was.

“-ny and all Legends, latitude 29.81, longitude -95.16. Bring any supplies you can find, check every building on the way. The Syndicate is aware of the situation and is preparing to pick us up in three d-”

Snatching it off the ground, Ajay practically yelled into the speaker, “Octavio, you dumb bastard! How did you not get buried?!”

Octavio snapped out of the drone, “Ajay?! Hijo de puta, I thought you w-”

His voice trailed off as the speaker was taken away from him, Makoa’s voice booming through the radio with a laugh, “Of course our doctor’s all stuck off by herself. Coulda used you here, been patchin’ everyone up with those crappy little medkits for days.”

“Never been so happy to hear anyone ever,” Ajay beamed, “Is it just you two? Is anyone else there?”

She could hear it wasn’t just them but she figured she’d give Makoa the pleasure of announcing his rescues.

“Me an’ the lil’ guy got a bunch of people. I trekked into the parts that got buried in snow, he bolted out to the outskirts to find outliers,” Makoa beamed, “I found Elliot and Crypto half buried in the snow at the edge, Natalie was practically swimming in it by herself, Renée not far behind her. Octavio found Anita and Pathfinder hoofing it outside the disaster area. They were just kind of wandering and hoping they’d come across someone. He had to chase down that Loba chick though, she’s a lil’ squirrely.”

“That’s damn near everyone!” Ajay chirped happily.

“Hell yeah it is, gettin’ kinda cramped in here,” he replied, “Looks like it was some kind of meeting hall at one point, they kinda crammed a bunch of Institute tech in it for the games and called it a day.”

“But with everyone you’ve got…”

“Only three missing! And two of ‘em are Revenant and Dr. Nox and I know this is a bit cold- pun intended- but if I gotta fail to find a couple people, I’d rather it be them. Only one left I’m actually worried about is Bloodhound. But only like, half worried. Pretty sure they were born for an icy hellscape like this.”

“I was,” Bloodhound leaned forward to speak into the speaker, “All my life the frigid tundra has both given me everything and taken it away in equal measure.”

“Ah, there’s my favorite weirdo,” Makoa chuckled, “You doin’ okay?”

“I am,” they nodded, “Had a very successful hunt, been keeping Ajay safe-”

“Ha!” Octavio wrestled the microphone away from the bigger man, “You getting soft on us, Che? Letting people keep you safe?!”

“My leg is broken,” Ajay seethed.

“Oh shit, you okay?”

“My leg is broken. So no.”

“You gonna be okay for like… a couple days though?” Makoa asked, “You gotta be pretty deep into the mountain if I ain’t come across you yet, it’ll take me a while to get out there. Should be able to get your coordinates on your communicator...”

“That won’t be necessary,” Bloodhound cut in, just a little bit too quickly, “I can bring her down the mountain, now that I know where you are. We can set out tomorrow, be there within a couple days,”

Looking up at them, Ajay wondered if she was correctly reading an odd streak of protectiveness in them.

That was mildly alarming considering how much blood was currently on their arms.

\- - -

Ajay shivered under the blankets, wondering how Bloodhound could stand to be out in the cold without their parka. Knowing they were crouched out there, trying to clean off the sleeves a bit in the snow…

Frankly, she would be more than happy to get somewhere warm and sunny.

The idea of trekking across this place for more than a day…

Man, how big of a damn stadium did they think the games needed?!

Bloodhound reentered, a bit less… well, bloody. Parka still over and hung by the fire to dry as they moved to sit on the couch again. Sleeping in that uncomfortable upright position. They were tough as nails but even nails bend if you hit them hard enough.

“You know…” Ajay maneuvered her tone somewhere between stern and sympathetic, “We’re going to be makin’ a helluva trip the next couple days…”

“Are you nervous? Don’t worry, these forests seem to be pretty bereft of carnivores. We should be perfectly safe.”

“Not what I’m worried about, exactly.”

They chanced a peek over their shoulder, “What concerns you then?”

“You.”

“Specifics, please. I am aware that I am vaguely alarming.”

“I ain’t scared of a big puppy dog like you,” Ajay said, subtly scooting over in the bed a bit, “Little more afraid of my little sled dog passing out from exhaustion halfway there and leavin’ us to the frostbite and the hypothermia.”

“I assure you, my stamina has always been impressive.”

“And normally it ain’t affected by sleeping sitting up on a busted couch,” she bit back a dirty joke in reply, “I’m a doctor, you know, and I know all too well the importance of a good night of sleep.”

They turned back around, arms crossed, pouting like an overgrown child.

“C’mon, what’s the worst case scenario here?” she asked.

“I… don’t know.”

“You do know I ain’t tellin’ a soul what you look like under there and there’s nobody for miles.”

They got quiet again, their favorite weapon against being asked to open up.

With a huff, Ajay pulled the sheets back over herself and rolled to face the wall, “Fine. Get us stranded in the middle of nowhere tomorrow. See if I care.”

Time passed, long enough that Ajay was halfway to asleep when she heard rustling behind her. Somewhere in her tired mind she wondered if a small animal had gotten into the cabin. The actual source of the noise not apparently until it- or rather, they- were putting pressure on the bed next to her.

Despite their identity obvious, it was still jarring for Ajay to roll over and see an unfamiliar face looking back at her with an empty stare in the dim light of the fire.

An odd, crackling scarring was spread over their upper face and eyes, leaving them an unnerving pure, milky white. No pupils, no iris. The rest of their face stern but not unattractive. Ghost white skin littered with more scars than she could possibly count. Long brown hair falling past their shoulders, a few forgotten braids twisted in it.

Down to just the underlayer of clothes, they were a bit smaller than she’d expected although that made sense with how many layers of heavy gear they were always coated in. Looked strong though, which also made sense. Considering how else were they supposed to carry said heavy gear?

She was staring, freezing them in place like she was Medusa. Awkwardly balanced with one knee on the bed like they were waiting for something.

The shift in their face was instant, going to push themselves back up and retreat. Get their face covered as quickly as possible.

But Ajay grabbed their wrist, “Sorry! Sorry, you just… surprised me.”

“Because you were asleep or because of…” they gestured to their face.

“Your appearance, honestly,” she stopped them from pulling away again, “Not in a bad way you’re just… well, didn’t expect you to be so cute under there.”

She never was one to beat around the bush. Her smile widening at the way their entire face went bright red in an instant, barely covering their mouth with their free hand. The mask might be able to help them hide their emotions when it’s on but looks like they aren’t so good at it without.

“T-thank you,” they eventually stuttered out, starting to slide under the sheets next to her.

“What, I don’t get a compliment back?” Ajay teased, succeeding in not flinching at the cold sock brushing against her leg.

That seemed to only worsen the deep blush, but they obliged as they rolled onto their back and crossed their hands over their stomach, “What do you say to the most beautiful Legend that she’s not heard a thousand times?”

Her own cheeks going red was better masked, aiming a playful slap on the arm, “Bloodhound! Not fair yours was so much better than mine. Give me another go, let’s see…”

“I think two compliments in a night might cause a manual shutdown,” they replied, patting her hand, “Perhaps, we should just sleep.”

She wasn’t entirely done though, propping her head on her hand with a cheeky smile, “Do you wanna cuddle?”

“Ajay…”

“Standing offer!”


	5. Over the Frozen Hills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the homestretch! Hope to get this fic done early next week. :D

“Sooo, are they cute without their mask?”

Ajay could see Octavio twirling the cord around his finger in her mind’s eye, kicking his legs like a teen girl on the phone. In no time he’d gone from genuinely checking up on her and asking about her injury to harassing her for information. As is to be expected.

“I don’t know,” Ajay lied, “Haven’t seen them without it.”

“Oh, Ajay,” Octavio cooed into the speaker, smugness seeping through the crackling connection, “You’ve always been a bad liar. Twelve years and you think you can pull the wool over my eyes?.”

“Twelve years and I wish I could get you to shut up,” Ajay leaned back on the chair, looking through the window at Bloodhound piling things onto the sled.

“Eh, if you really hated me you’d leave a long, long, LONG time ago,” he grinned, “So you gonna answer my question? I missed you so much and was sooo worried and you won’t even tell me this one little itty bitty thing. I’m hurt. Deeply, deeply hurt.”

“I’m not going to and you know it,” she rolled her eyes, “Hippocratic oath.”

“Don’t think you were the one playin’ doctor, given your busted leg. So I don’t think that rule counts. It’s not a patient-doctor confidentiality law if you’re the patient.”

“You’re tryin’ to find loopholes but the real reason I’m not doing it is I’m not an asshole like you.”

Octavio kicked the table, the noise reverberating into the machine, “You’re no FUN. You’re the lamest best friend I’ve ever had. Won’t even tell me what your crush looks like, I’m soooo hurt. I tell you everything about my crushes.”

“You tell me more than I could ever want t’know about your crushes,” Ajay shuddered, “And who even said it’s a crush?”

“I do because you’ve always been a sucker for being on the other side of a rescue,” Octavio beamed.

“Hate that you remember that,” Ajay replied, “How everything else fall out of your fool head except something I said to you ONCE at a sleepover TEN years ago?”

“Because all that other information is boring and I can’t make fun of you for it.”

“I’m blocking you.”

Octavio cackled, “You can’t block me on radio.”

“I’m blocking you,” her voice grew muffled as she placed her hand over the speaker, “I’m covering the mic and I’m gonna walk away.”

“Wait, Ajay, Ajay, Ajay-”

“What.”

“Take me off block.”

Sighing, Ajay took her hand off the microphone, “What.”

“I love you and I’m really glad you’re okay,” Octavio’s voice softened for once, “For a while there I thought I’d lost my best friend in the just like… lamest way ever. So I’m glad you’re safe and that I’ll see you again.”

“Augh, I hate it when you get all cute on me,” Ajay failed to crumple the fondness in her voice, “My favorite lil’ idiot. Glad we’ll be together again soon, kinda surprised you didn’t come runnin’ the second you knew where I was.”

He grumbled at that, “Can’t… my skinny prosthetics are GREAT for cutting down wind resistance on firm ground but uh… just sink right up to my thighs in the snow with each step. Makoa said if I get stuck like that he’s not pulling me out anymore. Also, you know I usually like being manhandled but getting pulled out the ground like that makes me feel like a carrot. Had a nightmare last night about a zombie Navi coming back from the grave and trying to eat me…”

“Well, you’re safe from that at least,” Ajay watched Bloodhound strap the last of the equipment on, “Try not to give Makoa too much trouble, yeah?”

“Hah, think he likes troublemakers. I’m winking. Can you hear me winking?”

“Can you hear me blocking you and leaving?”

She cut the transmission short at that, Bloodhound opening the door, “Are you ready, Ajay?”

\- - -

Being dragged across the snow like this made Ajay feel less than useless. Sitting up, helpless, as cold flakes jumped up and melted against what little of her face was exposed. Looking up at Bloodhound with Artur circling above, she envied their full face mask for once.

It was weird. Being able to look at that expressionless mask and picture the face underneath. Were they annoyed that they had to pull her along? Did they like playing hero? She kinda wished she could see their face more. Read their emotions. All she’d had was that short peek before bed before they laid down next to her, their back to the fire and bathing their entire front in shadow.

They’d woken up before her too. It was hard to hide her disappointment at that, she’d hoped she’d be able to see their face a bit better in the sunlight...

She hated that Octavio was right. He was never right, how dare he be right about this? Stupid boy.

Bloodhound’s voice broke the silence, “Should I take it as a compliment that while we pass such a beautiful mountain range you ignore it to stare at the back of my head?”

“Was that an attempt at a flirty joke? Didn’t know you could make those,” Ajay replied, finally looking at the scenery around them. It really was a beautiful mountain range, even if it had tried to bury her. Artur was stark and black against the snow as he swooped past.

“I am known to partake, on occasion,” they chuckled, “Do you have one in return?”

“Oh now you’re askin’ for compliments? Last night you seemed pretty embarrassed by them.”

“I have a bit more confidence with the mask on.”

“Well then,” Ajay back settled in, returning her gaze to the back of their head, “Maybe I was busy picturing you without the mask again.”

Pausing, they looked behind themself at her for a second before continuing to march towards their goal.

“Is that so?” Bloodhound replied, “You’re not the first to do so but one of the few who knows what I actually do look like under there.”

“How many?”

“How many what?”

Ajay continued, “How many people know? I wanna know how exclusive of a club I belong to.”

“Well, any remaining members of the village I grew up in know, technically. Although I look quite different than I did when I was young. A lot more scars. But for what I look like now as an adult… well, you’re just about it.”

Ajay’s eyes widened, colding biting at them, “Really? Just me?”

Their voice was a bit flustered, “Well, yes. I’ve worn the mask ever since I left there and handled all of my own injuries.”

“I’m… kinda honored, really. I always knew you were cagey about removing it but I never would have guessed I was the only one at all.”

“I’ve been quite careful about it.”

Ajay tapped on the bag of supplies next to her for a second before asking, “Does it… upset you that I know what you look like?”

“I feel like it should but strangely it doesn’t.”

“Any idea why?”

In an instant it was like all air had rushed off the mountain, Bloodhound’s dead silence suffocating. The sled sliding to a stop just behind them standing there, still as a corpse. Time ticked on, Ajay’s gut twisting as she tried to pick apart what part of that question was so forbidden.

But as they reached back for the gun slung across their back, Ajay heard it. A low, rumbling growl coming from the darkness of the woods on the other side.

How Bloodhound could hear something so quiet, so early before her was a mystery but they dropped the reigns of the sled and positioned themselves between the direction of the noise and her.

“Keep your head d-”

Bloodhound wasn’t able to finish their needless warning as the beast lunged forward into the light, claws glinting. Wolf-like but twice the size. Just barely dodging the barrage of bullets Bloodhound aimed at it. Arcing behind it as it circled around.

It was obvious what it was eyeing. Not the upright protector, but the downed warrior who it knew could not fight back against being dragged back through the woods.

The second lunge got far too close to her but Bloodhound nailed it hard. Harsh blasts of the Hemlock barraging the beast back away with a small trail of blood drops following as it snarled. Teeth the size of Bloodhound’s hand glaring out at them.

They shuffled through the bestiary residing in their mind, coming up with nothing.

A lone wolf, Bloodhound hoped. Artur beginning to swoop a bit lower from above to try and distract the beast but its sharp eyes were trained tightly onto its adversary.

It wouldn’t be an issue without…

They peered back at Ajay, frozen in place. Normally so confident in the face of danger but knowing this… this was different.

Bloodhound took the initiative this time, abandoning the gun for this attack in favor of their knife. Throwing themself at the beast hard though. Unable to get a firm foothold in the high snow. A terrain they were once used to but shamefully in the back of their mind they realized…

They weren’t used to it anymore.

Falling short, the knife missed the target. Soaring harmlessly through thick fur and not sinewy flesh, leaving them open to retaliation.

It wasn’t the first time their heavy, layered armor had saved them and it wouldn’t be the last. Sinking through, the long fangs dug into their left ankle. Not much damage there but that was the least of their problems.

Ripped off their feet, Bloodhound collapsed into the snow. Sinking in enough to make them choke and sputter on the snow rushing over them. Blinded as they began to get dragged away, the beast happy enough to get at least one.

Knife still gripped in their hand, they tried to twist back up above the snow to get another strike at-

A single gunshot rang out.

Their head burst from the covered ground in time to see the lumbering creature collapse next to them. Almost on top, if not for the snow separating them. Slowly going redder and redder as blood seeped from the wound somewhere on its head.

Wrestling their leg free, they winced in pain as they stood back up. Looking over at Ajay, one eye closed and pointing a Wingman where the beast had stood. Her cockeyed grin couldn’t hide the way her body was trembling, “Looks like I get t’be the big damn hero this time. Always was a good shot.”

\- - -

Ajay’d protested all the way to the small shack jutting up in the distance. Every other one of Bloodhound’s footprints lined with spots of bright red blood. Insisting that she needed to see their leg immediately, not to walk on it, will you stop and listen to me?!

But damaged leg aside, Bloodhound was still more mobile than her.

The shack wasn’t much but at least it was going to be a roof over their head. And a roof under Artur’s head, the raven already sitting on the corrugated metal like it owned the place.

“We’ve made good time,” they said, as if their leg wasn’t bleeding with every step, “We wouldn’t have been able to go much further anyways. Should be about halfway, if only I could climb a tree to check…”

“Why does everyone in my life gotta have a death wish?” Ajay kept her arms crossed as Bloodhound unstrapped her, “Why can’t I ever get close to like… Anita. She’s sensible. I should hang out with Anita, go get a coffee together after all this is over.”

“Are you attempting to make me jealous?” Bloodhound asked, scooping her up.

“Maybe,” she replied, helping them push the door open, “Is it working?”

“Perhaps it would, if I thought you were serious about it.”

Damn, Ajay should have picked someone a little more convincing than Anita. She was loath to casually hang out with anyone and despite being a quite attractive woman… well, few had the guts to try and flirt with her.

Although apparently Ajay had the fortitude to flirt with Bloodhound of all people so maybe they should take her threat to go and talk to Anita more seriously.

Before she could turn that thought into a witty barb she was distracted by something a little more pressing.

“Take off your pants,” Ajay commanded.

Bloodhound nearly dropped her at that, sounding strangled, “What?”

“And get the first aid kit from the sled,” Ajay grinned, “I have to check out your leg. Pervert.”

“Oh- I- Of- of course…” they stuttered out, setting her down on the worn bench of the shack, “I’ll be right back.”

She snickered when the door shut behind them, “Even got the stoic one with that line, always a winner.”

The shack was dimly lit from the uncovered windows to the outside but not enough to be sewing shut wounds anytime soon. Thankfully a long cord dangled down, Ajay saying a small prayer to whatever’s above as she reached up and tugged it. Mercifully bursting to life with a surprisingly powerful light bulb.

A small tarp. That’d be useful. She tugged it down and smoothed it down over her lap, preparing for the worst.

Coming back in, Bloodhound was still sheepish as they handed her the first aid kit.

“Alright now close the door unless you’re looking to freeze your ass off,” Ajay breathed a silent sigh of relief as she saw the emergency suture kit.

They obliged, taking one last look around to make sure they were alone before unlatching heavy equipment from themself and peeling off their pants. Cringing both at the cold and the slowly exposed damage on their leg.

“Sit down, put your leg on m’lap so I can get a better look at it,” they listened to Ajay’s instructions, flinching again at the cold of the tarp against bare skin.

Grabbing their ankle, she turned it gently to survey the damage, “It’s not as bad as it could be but you’re going to need some stitches. You ever… gotten stitches without anything to numb the pain? Normally I wouldn’t ask but… you seem like the type.”

Already pulling off a leather glove to put their mouth, they nodded, “More times than I can count.”

“Well,” Ajay pulled the disinfected needle out of the pack, “At least I’ve always been fast.”

\- - -

They didn’t scream or yelp, not even once. Nothing but quiet grunts of pain every now and again. Leaving Ajay wondering if they truly were too used to this or if they were trying to impress her.

Regardless of their intentions, they did.

It was weird how open they were being with her now.

Ajay wasn’t sure if it was the vulnerability of being without the mask or being seen injured and cared for but they were just… talking. Seemingly about anything and everything that crossed their mind. She’s always assumed that quiet people had little to nothing to say but Bloodhound certainly was proving that wrong.

More surprising than the talkativeness was the fact they abandoned the mask for the whole time.

No complaints here but Ajay was having a harder time finding words. Distracted by seeing a sight rarer than diamonds and twice as beautiful. Internally, she smiled at that compliment when it crept into her mind. Sounded like one they’d come up with.

And given the way their empty eyes were steadfastly locked onto her, she had a feeling they’d return the sentiment. Extend it, even. Say her eyes glint like gold and hair cascades like precious rubies. They seem like the type who would get into the real purple prose if given the opportunity.

She wanted to give them that opportunity.

As they ate their dinner, carved from the slabs of meat they’d dragged along, Ajay wondered if they were just excited to have someone, anyone to talk to.

But she was wondering if that would extend beyond her once they got back to the others.

As the sun set, the cold encroached though.

Fire. Warmth. Both things that the small shack was missing and It wasn’t like they could sleep outside. As thick as the sleeping bags they’d found in storage at their old cabin it wasn’t going to be enough against the bitter cold seeping in from every crack.

Ajay knew what this was leading up to, trying to figure out how to spin it in her head that they wouldn’t get offended or try to pull away-

Bloodhound beat her to it, “I have a feeling you won’t try to fight me on this but we will have to sleep a bit… closer tonight. Than before.”

“For survival?” she teased, “Or something else?”

“For survival,” they replied, averting their eyes for the first time this evening before cautiously continuing, “But it is not… going to be unenjoyable.”

“You’re so awkward, s’cute,” Ajay slid into the sleeping bag first before beginning to unzip the front of her jacket. First of many layers zipped tightly against her torso.

“You know, nobody’s called me cute since I was a child,” Bloodhound hesitated for a second before joining her, “Now you’re doing it all the time.”

“I heard Loba call you cute a month ago.”

“Loba doesn’t mean what she says,” Bloodhound deflected, sliding in next to her, “And I’m hoping that you do.”

“I do,” Ajay confirmed, forcing herself to maintain eye contact as she heard them begin to unzip the parka. Already shrugged out of her parka and down to her undershirt being exposed and feeling too aware of that, “Always felt like lying was a waste of my time.”

The strong hand on her waist was ice cold but she leaned back into it anyways as she was pulled forward against Bloodhound’s soft chest. Wrapping her arms tightly around them, burying her head into the crook of their neck. All natural movements which Bloodhound clumsily mirrored.

Except for the difference of after that first pull they were being a bit too careful about touching her. Nearly hoverhanding with the arm around her.

“So, you say nobody’s ever called you cute before. At least not seriously.”

Bloodhound’s chin pressed against the top of her head as they nodded, “Correct. Just you.”

“So I take it nobody’s ever cuddled with you like this before either.”

Their grip around her finally tightened and they definitely felt the way her mouth pulled up into a smile against their exposed neck.

“You are… correct again.”

Ajay’s hand began to move up and down, feeling their spine underneath their clothes, “So if you’ve never cuddled with anyone…”

“Yes, whatever particular form of physical affection you’re thinking of. I haven’t done it.”

“And if I tried to kiss you, you would…?”

Again a smile cracked across her face as she felt their face begin to burn, pressed against her head. Vaguely, surprised noises trying to form into words.

“I would…” they finally managed, “Enjoy that. And reciprocate the best my lack of experience would allow for.”

A void of cold whipped in the space where Ajay’s head had been as she pushed herself up, warm hand exposed the chilly air as she tilted Bloodhound’s jaw down to meet hers. Feeling a dozen little scars along the sharp jawline and breaking up the line of their lips as they kissed back. Their own arms frozen in place while Ajay chanced sliding hers up into their hair. Fingers sliding through their slightly dirty braids, ghosting along their scalp.

It broke off a bit abruptly, Bloodhound twitching just slightly but enough that their injured ankle painfully hitting against Ajay’s makeshift cast.

“I- sorry, my ankle just…” their grip on her arm firm, almost too tight, “I am just new to…”

Ajay didn’t care, relaxing back against their chest and soaking in the warmth gratefully, “Don’t worry about it. No rush. You’re not going anywhere and neither am I. Be easier to fool around back at the dorms anyways.”

“All of the rooms are wide open.”

“Yeah but I know where all the camera’s blind spots are.”

Bloodhound raised an eyebrow, “And why is that?”

“A very long and involved prank war with Octavio,” she kissed them once more on the neck, enjoying the way their entire body reacted to even the smallest show of affection, “But I’m sure he won’t mind if I stop using that against him because I’m busy pressing myself against you.”

Their words were reduced to a slurry of awkward noises.


	6. All Comes Tumbling Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done! Lagged a bit on the last chapter, I was waiting with hopes that the issues with e-mail notifications would get resolved but I didn't wanna wait TOO long. Hopefully everyone sees and enjoys this final update. :D

Bloodhound was used to waking with the sun, they preferred it. Normally they were up and at the day’s throat from the second their eyes cracked open but they were unusually pinned today.

Looking down at Ajay still curled against their side was downright surreal. They hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since they were a small child, crawling into their parents’ bed at night when their dreams turned dark.

And this was nothing like that.

Well, except they still have a feeling of needless impending doom lurching in their gut.

Didn’t help with Artur at the window. A dull, clunking pecking noise as they tried to rouse Bloodhound so they’d come out and greet him like they always did.

It wasn’t often that Bloodhound was forced to come to terms with the fact that their life was, in fact, weird. They never liked when it did. Felt stupid that something as simple as this was intimidating to them. While they were far from old they were an adult and had been one for nearly a decade now. The warmth of another against them shouldn’t be so foreign and intimidating but it is.

The speed at which life had thrown this at them was probably also a factor. In less than a week they’d gone from familiar solidarity to closer to anyone than they’d ever been before.

Before they could muse on that more, Ajay stirred.

\- - -

She flirted with them, of course, as they got ready for the day. From resisting them sliding away from her, to playfully teasing little comments as they got dressed, to pawing at them as they strapped her to the sleigh.

Their end diagnosis of this was ‘they liked it, but it was weird.’

Ajay persisted as they started marching again towards their goal through the thick, heavy snow, “So, when we get back to normal again… am I gonna keep gettin’ special treatment to see you out of all that armor?”

“Perhaps,” they tried to coyly tease back, knowing it sounded too serious and trying to temper it, “As much as our too-open living arrangements allow.”

“Well, there’s always between the games,” Ajay interlocked her fingers on her lap, tapping her own hand impatiently “I imagine they’re gonna give us a helluva vacation after this. Probably pay for it too. There anywhere you’ve ever really, really wanted to go but couldn’t?”

The answer was they could go anywhere, given their almost supernatural ability to acquire money.

But the real answer was ‘Yes, I just don’t do nice things for myself.’

“I would like to visit hot springs,” they answered, “I found a place, pretty far off from most over populated planets, that even has small private ones. Considering some things about myself, I would prefer that solitude.”

“How much solitude we talkin’ about? Would a kinda short woman be too much non-solitude?”

They chuckled, “Perhaps I would not find that arrangement unagreeable.”

“Always with the perhaps,” Ajay clicked her tongue, “When am I gonna get some affirmations?”

Their answer was solemn but that alone made her smile, “I would love for you to come to the hot springs with me.”

For a long second, Ajay just basked in that small bit of affection before her sled came to a stop all of a sudden. Bloodhound dropping the reins and stepping over them, towards a towering tree.

“Oh you better now be thinkin’ about doing what you’re clearly thinkin’ about doing,” Ajay pointed at their injured leg, “You think you can go around climbing trees like that?! Keep both feet on the ground.”

Unfortunately, due to the comparative seriousness of her own injured leg she wasn’t able to stop Bloodhound from scrambling up the tree in a second, “I need to see how close we are to the others, it should be within seeing distance now. It would put my heart to rest, finally.”

“Put mine to it if you’d stop doin’ such foolhardy things, gonna shorten my lifespan.”

Bloodhound wanted to shout down to her to be more quiet, unless she wanted a repeat of the avalanche from before. But that alone was a risk they’d rather not take.

Looking down towards her, sled resting near a shallow cave. Anything deeper and they wouldn’t have gambled but nothing of substance could hide in there. The fact that even occurred to them a paranoia earned by the creature who’d left the deep gash still burning in their leg.

Squinting out, they could just barely make out a large building in the distance. It would still take a few more hours but there was no way it wasn’t where everyone else was holed up.

Frozen in place, they tried to see if anyone was walking around outside.

They hear Ajay call up to them, far too loud, “Do you see anythi-”

Booming across the valley, the next sound is terrifyingly familiar.

Bloodhound doesn’t think they’ve ever descended a tree that quickly in their life. Cold air raking breath out of their mouth, hissing at the sharp pain in their leg as they sunk into the snow.

It was coming and it was fast.

One handedly grabbing the reins, Bloodhound almost topples Ajay’s sled as nothing but pure instinct drives them into the cave. Praying to the gods that the snowfall would simply pass over them harmlessly.

It does, to an extent.

Bloodhound and Ajay watch as the mouth of the cave disappears behind a wall of snow, leaving them in pure darkness as it drowns out the sun.

\- - -

It’s a pitiful fire. Weakly crackling like it was mocking Bloodhound for not coming up with a better solution than this. Staring it down, their mask is already off and their pure white eyes are empty and cold.

Ajay is next to them on the uncurled bedspread, placed as far away from the place where Bloodhound had frantically dug into the snow until she had to beg them to stop. Saying it was useless and would do nothing but fill up what little space they had on the cold stone floor. Racked with guilt she replays the last few seconds they had under the sun.

She was a damn search and rescue doctor, since when does she yell out information on the mountainside?

And now they were going to die. Infuriating close to their goal, their salvation.

All because Ajay’d just had to open her big dumb mouth. Always knew her normally considerable brain turns to jelly when she’s around a crush but this… this is egregious. Forehead resting on her knees as she ran the options in her head.

“We’re going to die.”

Her voice is weaker than she wants it to be.

“We are not going to die,” Bloodhound doesn’t sound sure of that assertion, “We’ve got food for a week, perhaps Artur will-”

“Again with the perhaps…” Ajay uncurled, rolling onto her side, squirming down into the bedroll, and looking towards the cold wall of snow, “What could we even do?”

“I still think tunneling out-”

“Will only fill the cave with snow.”

Silence was punctuated by nothing but the crackling of the fire.

Until a single, sharp sob came out of Ajay.

It surprised even her. Suddenly realizing that she’d been crying for a while, face wet and tears freezing against her cheeks.

She could swear she felt the strands crack off as Bloodhound reached over her and brushed a calloused finger under her eyes to wipe them away. Their weight against her side is heavy but comforting in some way. Even as they pull up the edge and let cold rush in as they join her in there.

Rolling over, Ajay buried her face in the fur around their neck. Flowing out from the thick parka. They didn’t resist as she unbuttoned it and snaked her arms between their strong body and the fur lining the inside of the thick, thick coat.

Despite the circumstances, Ajay felt safe.

Her hands don’t stop there, beginning to work their way under the layers and layers of clothing.

“I won’t pretend this situation isn’t scary,” Ajay whispered, muffled, “But we’ll deal with it in just a little while, okay?”

They were inexperienced but not stupid, knowing exactly what she was angling at.

Bloodhound murmured one final thing softly into her ear before falling upon her, “We’ll survive this and if not, we’ll be together in Valhalla.”

\- - -

It should be cold, being naked in a snowed-in cave. Ajay looked up at the icicles dangling near the back, unbroken by the racket of the avalanche. Peaceful, beautiful in a way.

Wedged into the bedroll, she’s warm. Normally Bloodhound’s body runs cold but between them things grow hot in the aftermath. It was strange to her, being completely naked in the wilderness but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Bloodhound was awake, she was certain of that. Mesmerized they ran their thumb up and down her forearm, clearly still taking everything in.

Ajay couldn’t tell exactly how old Bloodhound was but they were roughly around her age. In some ways they felt so much older and wiser but in others they seemed like a newborn deer still wobbling into adulthood.

Their experience met somewhere in the middle and Ajay found herself excited at the prospect of showing them things they’d yet to experience. Hold their hand tight as she brought them into her own hi-tech world.

If they got the chance. Again she looked over at the wall of snow keeping them trapped there.

She could feel Bloodhound’s eyelashes on her collarbones, she knew they were staring at it too.

“Before you said something about Valhalla,” Ajay broke the post coital silence, “Gotta confess, other than the name I don’t know much about that.”

Bloodhound is more than happy to oblige, “It is the afterlife to my people. Well, the brave heroes who fight at least. A vast hall in Asgard where the Allfather watches over us all. Our days filled with feasts and fights with the proudest warriors and strongest valkyries.”

The oddness of them considering a fight a reward for a life well lived was not lost on Ajay, but she wasn’t here to judge, “That sounds nice. A little hectic. But nice.”

Silence grew again but not an uncomfortable one. Punctured only by the chill of their dire circumstances, put off for only a short period of time.

Ajay ran some numbers in her head, trying to visualize how much snow must be packed over them. Bloodhound was from somewhere cold and icy, did they know how to tunnel through it? She pictured the frantic way they had tried to big before and decided “no.”

Maybe if they worked together…

With not a single article of clothing between them Ajay could feel Bloodhound’s entire body tense up at the strange noise.

For a horrified second they froze there, seeing the snow be pushed forward and begin to encroach on their frigid oasis. Bloodhound’s protective grip on her arm is far too tight but Ajay’s too in shock herself to notice. Both picturing another avalanche coming to bury them further below the earth until…

The way Bloodhound dropped to cover Ajay was appreciated as they were suddenly no longer alone.

It was hard to say which party was more surprised. Bloodhound and Ajay for finally seeing the first person other than each other since this whole ordeal started. Or Makoa for suddenly bursting in on a much more lurid site than he’d expected.

For a second they all just stare at each other, slackjawed. It’s Makoa that breaks the silence, naturally, with a booming laugh that fills the empty space as he slaps a hand over his eyes.

“You two betta get dressed, ‘cause your lil’ buddy Octavio’s hot on my heels.”

\- - -

It was the fastest either of them has ever pulled their clothes on but still just barely making it, Octavio plodding along and yelling at the top of his lungs something they couldn’t hear. As Makoa helped pull them up they surveyed the damage of their hideaway. Ten solid feet of snow. How long had Makoa dug without them noticing?

Neither of them had to ask why they were found. The bird looked proud of himself, black feathers puffed up and sharp eyes glinting in the sunlight.

Artur. He flew right onto Bloodhound’s arm the second they found themself back on solid footing.

As Makoa set her down, Ajay propped herself up with an arm around Bloodhound as the two watched the loud man get closer and closer.

Octavio was suffering, each step sinking him deep into the snow. Having to take comically large steps just to make the smallest amount of progress. Complaining the entire way about the snow slowing him down, yelling about random humorous occurrences in the lodge, and swearing in Spanish.

But he was determined and eventually made it to Ajay. Dropped a foot lower into the snow, he hugged her tightly around the waist and buried his face in her stomach.

Whatever Octavio said was muffled but caring. He wouldn’t repeat it so Ajay didn’t try to pry it out of him.

When he let go he just flopped backwards into the snow, looking up at them. Eyes most certainly glinting with a look that says ‘I was right!’ at his best friend half wrapped around Bloodhound.

“So, did you you have fun?” his tone was mocking but not cruel.

In response, Ajay just craned her neck up and planted a kiss on the side of Bloodhound’s mask.

“We did,” Ajay playfully beamed.

“C’mon,” Makoa walked past and easily plucked Octavio from the ground and started walking back towards where they’d come from, “Crypto and Eliot are just over the hill, we’re kinda half lookin’ for the last two but I’d be more than alright if we didn’t fi-”

As if on cue, Dr. Nox and Revenant lumbered out of the woods.

Sighing, Makoa dropped Octavio back into the snow, “Damn it, well… gonna go check on ‘em.”

Octavio chased after him like an obedient puppy, leaving the last two to follow after.

Ajay doesn’t even have to ask before Bloodhound picks her up, bridal style, “Do you really think you can carry me all the way down there?”

“Perhaps,” they note her eye roll at the word choice, “I would like to try at least.”

Ajay smiled again and pulled herself up and kissed the front of their mask.

“I’d like that too.”


End file.
